Beach access increasing in Half Moon Bay, Pacifica

But Gabe McKenna, public safety superintendent with California State Parks, said restrictions will be lifted at state beaches on a case-by-case basis, and the lots and restrooms at some beaches within Half Moon Bay will remain closed.

“We’re not looking at this as a reopening, we’re just increasing access,” McKenna said. “We’re increasing access in the parking lots and restrooms, but not at max capacity levels.”

The number of cars allowed to park at a given beach lot and the number of restrooms that will be open could change at any given time depending on how the transition goes, McKenna added.

Starting Saturday, there will be “increased access” at Francis, Venice and Cowell Ranch beaches, as well as at Bean Hollow and the south parking lot at Martini Creek in Montara, McKenna said. There will also be increased access at Año Nuevo.

The lots and restrooms at Roosevelt/Dunes Beach, San Gregorio and Pebble Beach, on the other hand, will all remain closed, McKenna said.

“We’re still urging people to stay home,” he said. “This isn’t a push to bring people to beaches. We still have a shelter in place in effect.”

Complicating the reopening of beach lots and restrooms is the county’s health order, which continues to prohibit access to the beaches in the county between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. daily. So according to the law as it exists currently, one can park at the beach parking lot during the above hours, but is restricted from actually going to the beach.

County officials Thursday could not provide a timeline for when the 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. beach closure will be lifted. The city of Pacifica, however, issued a statement Thursday night saying that there is an anticipation a new health order will be issued Friday, May 29, that will loosen prohibitions related to the beach. The statement added the city of Pacifica will be reopening beach parking by Saturday, May 30.

While the details of beach lots and restrooms reopening are still not completely clear, the move is sure to please many nearby residents, who have complained of parking impacts, among others, since the shelter-in-place order took effect. With beach parking lots and restrooms closed due to COVID-19, visitors each weekend have taken up street parking in nearby neighborhoods and many have also relieved themselves outdoors.

Half Moon Bay Mayor Adam Eisen said in a letter to residents Memorial Day weekend was especially challenging for residents.

“This weekend was a tough one, wasn’t it?” he wrote. “I saw mounds of trash, people parked throughout neighborhoods, people using lawns as restrooms, walking through sensitive habitat, walking down the Poplar stairs that are under construction, eroding cliffs, creating new routes to the coast. … The list goes on.”

The ongoing impacts even prompted the Half Moon Bay City Council to consider a residential permit-parking program, though that effort was tabled last week, and many residents have also called for police checkpoints to limit the number of visitors to the coast.

Half Moon Bay officials are hoping the reopening of beach lots and restrooms will be sufficient to address the impacts.

“Our hope is opening the parking lots and restrooms will create a safer environment for both residents and visitors,” Blair said.

zachary@smdailyjournal.com

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